noel wrote:Easy there with the big words! You asked a question about a "bent" part on your bar that may or may not have been bent at the factory but has not cracked. Then you show a pic of someone else's bar (you found a pic of) that is cracked. Which yours is not. You checked with your shop and though I am not sure, but it sounds like your shop did not think to warrantee it. (maybe I am wrong) If it was a big deal to you, I would have had it replaced at no charge even if SS didn't. You asked if anyone else had this problem (bent) and I replied "yes" but have not had a single one break since this design came out. Your second pic shows the bent piece but it is not broken and by any means changeing the way it releases or is able to reset the safety.

If there is a chance that you may not like the answer then don't ask. Credibility has to do with honesty and but I am not sure that's what your looking for!

Your credibility ? You have seen the two pics and then say 'there is no problem? 'Jeez. Unlike you, I do not make money selling Slingshot so have nothing to be defensive about. Mine has bent as you can see. On my other little used bar, it's also bending. I was a little concerned that a safety should "bend' therefore weakening it. I posted, because the shop said they 'have sold over 200 bars and never heard of this problem', which is weird, as both of mine had this problem, and I'm not that unlucky. I saw the pic of a cracked one, as posted, and was now worried my would do the same. This is not the only pic I have found where it has cracked after bending. It's reasonable to think, that if it has bent, it weakens it, and it would then lead to it cracking.I do not take your stance of 'there is no problem' The pics show there clearly IS. If it's not a design fault as you maintain, how come yours has bent too ? My shop did replace it out of courtesy when I mailed them a pic of mine, but my concern is, what's to stop it doing it again, since I still think the design is at fault.

Last post. I don't own a shop therefore I don't make a dime. I guess your assumptions aren't as bad as mine eh? Your shop replaced it out of courtesy (not warrantee) which is what my shop would have done also to make you happy. Hell, I don't even ride SS kites but do use their bars. (one of the best bars on the market IMHO) By the lack of responses to this thread, not much of a problem. I would however check your butter box as that has a tendinsy to crack but if it happens is replaced under warrantee. Mine have bent but have not cracked but if they do, they will be replaced.

If it is bent its not a problem!
If it is cracked it is not a problem!
If it broke it is not a problem!
because it is bombproof right....hahaha, yes make me laugh haha
or maybe because others like cabrinha, north or epic also brake xD haha what a dumb response!
And you should also check the butter box, coz it can also crack xD rly wtf but no, NO problem there, because this is the best bar on the market xD haha you are a joker thats for sure

Ozone made a recall on the 2011 intake valves and you got a whole new LE bladder(not just the valve) for free! Before it fails! Acctually i havent even changed the bladders, beause the recalled valves havent failed, so now i have spare bladders That is how you run a business and not with lame exuses like "its not a problem.....erm well only for some people" xD haha

Typical Slingshot and their dealers, just pathetic!

IMO Slingshot bar is one of the WORST bars (at least the chickenloop and the release system),
all those metal parts...check the ocean rodeo chickenloop, and see how a chickenloop should look like

It is a design issue.
The thin metal wire forming the part in question is not adequate.
Most likely what happened is the designers specified the part to be strong enough in tension, which it is.
The problem is, the part does not operate under load in tension.
The part is loaded as a cantilevered beam.
This makes it bend when the CL is stretched to a more oval shape under loads, then in some cases break, after repeated high loading.

If you look at the numbers and the mechanics, it is pretty clearly a design flaw, leading to failure under foreseeable conditions of normal use. A quick look at the physical properties of steel wire of the diameter in question will confirm this. I think I even wrote about this the first time it came up. Quality control of the product delivered to the kite brand may be an issue, too.

And the part will likely not be redesigned until they run out of the castings the CL assembly is built around.
So keep an eye on your slingshot CLs.

noel wrote:Last post. I don't own a shop therefore I don't make a dime. I guess your assumptions aren't as bad as mine eh? Your shop replaced it out of courtesy (not warrantee) which is what my shop would have done also to make you happy. Hell, I don't even ride SS kites but do use their bars. (one of the best bars on the market IMHO) By the lack of responses to this thread, not much of a problem. I would however check your butter box as that has a tendinsy to crack but if it happens is replaced under warrantee. Mine have bent but have not cracked but if they do, they will be replaced.

Why fix it if it's not broke. Oh sorry! It's bent.

Safe kiting!

My apologies. When you said you taught, and said 'my shop' would replace, I thought you meant you had a shop.
I think the shops replace but not under SS warranty. Guess it absolves SS.
Easy as 123. 1 It;s new and straight. 2 It bends and weakens. 3 It cracks?
'Only bent' ? Well thats all right then
The design causes the metal loop to bend. Bent metal work hardens and then weakens that area.
Old car mechanics joke.. If your brakes fail, give us a ring and we'll replace them. You are applying the same principle.
Check out 'Rally problems' plenty of response there. This issue is old news apparently, and I have been told Slingshot have 'taken this on board'. Slingshots 2013 bar is the same though....

Last edited by letsgoflyakite on Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

BWD wrote:It is a design issue.
The thin metal wire forming the part in question is not adequate.
Most likely what happened is the designers specified the part to be strong enough in tension, which it is.
The problem is, the part does not operate under load in tension.
The part is loaded as a cantilevered beam.
This makes it bend when the CL is stretched to a more oval shape under loads, then in some cases break, after repeated high loading.

If you look at the numbers and the mechanics, it is pretty clearly a design flaw, leading to failure under foreseeable conditions of normal use. A quick look at the physical properties of steel wire of the diameter in question will confirm this. I think I even wrote about this the first time it came up. Quality control of the product delivered to the kite brand may be an issue, too.

And the part will likely not be redesigned until they run out of the castings the CL assembly is built around.
So keep an eye on your slingshot CLs.

Thanks, just what I was getting at. I guess some manufacturers make design errors. The fact they have not changed the design is worrying.

Noel. You teach with SS product so clearly you have a relationship with them. It's also clear that there is a problem here and it is a safety issue.
Stop being a dick! It just makes you and SS look bad.

I have a really well used comp stick.
just checked mine and yeah, the wire is bent a bit, but no sign of cracking or weakening.

I'm more concerned about the wire on the fixed side of the loop - it's bent a little too BUT unless I completly dismantle, I can't see what condition it's really in.

There are huge loads in kiting - I expect things to bend and give a little!

I don't really see this as a design fault.

yes i get that in the factory, it's designed around the circular shape of the loop and when under load the loop is more oval so bends the wire, but on mine it's minimal and my comp stick has had a lot of use.
it's definatley something to keep an eye on (like all of my gear checks, lines etc). but given the strength of SS lines and their overall quality - I still think the comp stick kiks arse!!!

Cheers for the heads up - it's not something i wud have ever thought of checking!

I've just left a similar message on another thread about contacting the people that might help you or at the very least put your mind at rest, which is either Slingshot themselves if you're from the states or ourselves here in the UK at Surf Sales.

Threads like this are always treated with scepticism when there is no actual volume of a given problem, there was an issue with the cable covering length in 2010, dealers are aware of it, the C/L will be exchanged without query (UK decision) if it shows the slightest sign of distress, and it is something that should be checked every ride as should firing off the safety at part of the pre flight.

Seriously if it was an issue they would have been recalled as we have done with other issues in the past, we're riders ourselves, it's never our intention to put others at risk for the sake of a few cents extra profit.

Re airing old issues for whatever Agenda you may be on is counterproductive to the usefulness of a rider forum which already suffers from Industry tools doing whatever they can to deride other brands in the assumption there own might benefit. Ultimately we all become the loser as the credibility of everyone comes into question Slingshot is a rider brand with a long history of standing behind it's products, if there is a problem contact them, or one of their dealers or agents, you will generally find them helpful.

Once I had a problem with my QR on a Core Kites Sensor bar. I explained to the customer service the problem (QR sometimes was opening by itself). They just made no other questions: they sent a courier, picked up my bar at their expenses, changed for free the spring (they told me it was probably defective) and sent (always for free) the bar back to my office. All this in 4 days and with the warranty expired from months.
This is what I call CUSTOMER SERVICE or AFTER SALE SERVICE. It's n ot a matter to make the customer "happy", it's a way of life. Some brands take care of the customer after the sale, some not or partially. At the time I had the problem, I owned one Core kite. Now I own 3 of them with two bars and I'm buying the fourth. Do you think they spent their money for nothing when they fixed my bar for free even if it was no more under warranty?